Kicking Down Doors Archives — 躂圖AV /category/kicking-down-doors/ Powerful solutions for a complex world Wed, 15 Nov 2023 16:41:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 /wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Red-Mark-600px@2x-100x100.png Kicking Down Doors Archives — 躂圖AV /category/kicking-down-doors/ 32 32 Kicking Down Doors: Elise Walker on College Majors, Unicorns, and Technology Careers /ecs-insight/ecs-culture/kicking-down-doors-elise-walker-on-college-majors-unicorns-and-technology-careers/ Wed, 15 Nov 2023 12:00:57 +0000 http://ecstech.flywheelstaging.com/?p=26996 Vice President of Justice and Homeland Solutions Elise Walker talks college majors, unicorns, unofficial book clubs, and technology careers.

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Major Confusion and a Love of Computers

I screwed up in college, says Vice President of Justice and Homeland Solutions Elise Walker. I went to college as a mechanical engineer because I was interested in building things. Then I realized, after a couple years, that mechanical engineering was not for me.

Elise had been enthralled with all things electronic since childhood. Shed had a kindergarten teacher who let her dismantle old VCRs in class. As a teen, she bought computers at thrift stores and dismantled old cable boxes a friendly cable technician would drop off at her familys house. I had no idea what I was doing, Elise says of those early forays into black boxes full of transformers, resistors, and capacitors. But it was fun.

By the time Elise entered college, shed been living and breathing computers as a personal interest for years, and she found her first computer science classes unchallenging. She felt she wouldnt learn enough as a computer science major to warrant the investment of her educational funds and chose mechanical engineering instead.

Eventually, she left the mechanical engineering track for geography studies, which she found fascinating. Geography had a blend of math and culture Elise liked and included a geospatial information systems component that tapped into her background with computers.

Tech Industry Unicorns

Over the course of her technology career, Elise has held various positions, including software analyst, solutions architect, and director of engineering. Since joining the 躂圖AV ranks with the 2019 acquisition of Blackstone Federal, she has filled the roles of senior director of engineering and now vice president of solutions.

Elise stays focused on meeting the most urgent needs of our Justice and Homeland Solutions business unit. This can mean preparing to pursue a new opportunity, leading improvements for an existing program, or helping a team step up to a particularly thorny challenge.

My job is always evolving, says Elise, who also devotes a lot of time to recruiting and growth. She says the hardest part of her job is finding people with the will to become great solution leaders, so the business can continue to scale.

The word unicorns is often thrown around in our industry, she says. Thats because people who are really good at the technology, really good at communication, and have the enthusiasm and will to become great leaders these people are very hard to find.

On Developing Technology Careers

For those building information technology careers, Elise has two pieces of advice: reach out and follow up. She and other leaders on the Justice and Homeland Solutions team work hard to make themselves available, she explains, and theyre surprised by how few employees take advantage of opportunities to connect, learn, and be mentored.

We have breakfast with new hires. We do speed dating, and generally make ourselves available. But too few take us up on offers to connect and the opportunity behind that. If people want to grow in their technology careers, says Elise, the best thing they can do is find leaders who are willing to listen to their ideas and suggestions and then keep following up with them to continue improving and growing.

Nobody’s going to be your advocate if you dont put in that effort, she says. Its the best thing new employees can do to develop their technology careers.

Reading Books and Sowing Chaos

For her own career development, Elise learns through doing and learns from those around her with different skillsets. She also reads books. Usually suggested by other leaders in the Justice and Homeland Solutions business unit, these books cover topics such as sales, technology, organizational change, and leadership.

I think a willingness to cause chaos is important, says Elise, on the topic of leadership. When you bring energy and a desire to make things better, you often introduce chaos. Im willing to do that and to be the one whos critical of where we are, the one who always wants to improve. If things arent going well, Im not satisfied. And if things are going well, Im still not happy to sit on my hands.

When Elise sees that same drive for continuous improvement in others, she sees leadership potential. Good leaders, she says, are uncomfortable putting the work down, calling it good, and walking away.

Kicking Down Doors is a series highlighting the achievements of employees who are on the rise at 躂圖AV. Ready to kick down doors in your career?

Explore Careers at 躂圖AV

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]]> Kicking Down Doors: Trevor Taylor /ecs-insight/ecs-culture/kicking-down-doors-trevor-taylor/ Wed, 18 Jan 2023 12:00:56 +0000 http://ecstech.flywheelstaging.com/?p=12435 Trevor Taylor, 躂圖AV Director of Program Management, has found career success through his interest in technology and knack for program management.

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Kicking Down Doors is a series highlighting employees who are on the rise at 躂圖AV.

Our spotlight is on Trevor Taylor, executive director of the managed service provider (MSP) project management office (PMO) at 躂圖AV.

For , a childhood fascination with the family computer was only the first step in a career that began with desktop support and has proceeded to the management of large, complex programs. Trevor combines technical savvy with a battle-tested management philosophy in order to help his teammates thrive.

Early Interests

Trevor remembers the moment he first became entranced by technology. He was in the fourth grade, watching a family friend open up the family computer to insert a new 16MB memory stick, Trevor was awed by the complex system inside. In high school, he sought out extracurricular classes on hardware assembly, network support, and network construction. While he began college studying computer science, he ultimately switched his major to network engineering.

Charting a Career

Trevors first job after college was as a tier-two technician, fixing computers and other hardware. Next, he became an application support specialist, quickly rising to become team lead. As he advanced, however, Trevor began to question whether technical work was his true calling. Id learned from peers that a career in technical support demanded an absolute dedication to the technology itself. At the end of the day, I was more interested in enabling others to be successful in customer delivery. It was then I knew I would go the management track, Trevor said.

At the time, Trevors manager also oversaw the Information Assurance (IA) team. When a spot opened, he transitioned away from the service desk to become an IA analyst. Rather than working with a few specific pieces of hardware, Trevors new role involved monitoring hundreds of security controlsa task he found both challenging and fascinating. Again, Trevor was recognized for his management potential, rising first to team lead, then to oversee the IA, system, and database administrators as well.

Moving to Management

Trevor has been on the management track ever since, accruing experience by working closely with the technical personnel whom he manages. More years of experience doesnt necessarily mean better experience, Trevor explained. Even junior employees can offer helpful feedback and guidance because they bring different knowledge to the table. These are often the people on the front lines, while managers may be further removed.

As Trevor gained more leadership responsibility, mentors like Mick Perry and Luis CC Colon-Castro helped him understand the difference between a front-line manager and a director, as well as the importance of never losing sight of the bigger picture. Mick Perry said, Trevor is a natural leader who processes complex issues quickly and makes clear and decisive decisions based on facts and experience. Hes exactly the kind of manager who thrives at 躂圖AV.

Creating a Philosophy

People are scared to fail, Trevor said. I tell my teammates that its okay to fail when youre going through a challenge, because thats how you learn. Finding an error in your process is fine, as long as you turn version 1.0 into version 2.0.

This iterative mindset forms a central tenet of Trevors project management philosophy. To him, successful management means taking ownershipof your team, responsibilities, successes, and failuresand never running from problems, but rather taking the initiative to address and resolve them. As he said, Every time youre in a management position, youre in a leadership position. That means recognizing your role as part of the solution, not getting hung up on small decisions or placing blame for mistakes, and embracing lessons learned. Your greatest responsibility is to help those people you manage to achieve success.

Kicking Down Doors is a series highlighting the achievements of employees who are on the rise at 躂圖AV. Ready to kick down doors in your career?

Careers at 躂圖AV

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]]> Kicking Down Doors: Al Hussain’s Journey to Cloud /ecs-insight/blog/kicking-down-doors-al-hussains-journey-to-cloud/ Wed, 14 Sep 2022 12:00:28 +0000 http://ecstech.flywheelstaging.com/?p=11674 Al Hussain made the move from help desk tech to junior cloud engineer at 躂圖AV. With intention, determination, and strong relationships, hes building a rewarding career in IT. Find out more in our series Kicking Down Doors.

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Kicking Down Doors is a series highlighting employees who are on the rise at 躂圖AV.

Our spotlight is on Al Hussain, a cloud engineer at 躂圖AV who currently helps design artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) systems for the Department of Defense (DoD). His hard work, commitment, and desire to learn propelled him forward in his career at 躂圖AV.

For , a deep sense of curiosity has led to a rewarding career in technology. As a kid, Al wanted to understand his environment and how things worked. He loved disassembling objects and figuring out how to put them back together. These interests would ultimately inspire his transition to cloud and lead to a career full of problem-solving and inquiry.

Getting started

Before Al became the cloud engineer he is today, he began his career as an intern with 躂圖AV. He worked with the companys IT experts to design a paperless document handling solution for human resources. Later, after completing his degree in applied information technology (IT) and information security, Al joined the company full time as a systems administrator, where he worked on the help desk to support 躂圖AV internal IT networks.

Gaining experience

At 躂圖AV, Al quickly realized the potential for cloud technology, and he wondered how he could make the transition to a more cloud-focused role. Taking advantage of 躂圖AV robust education benefits and career training, Al began to develop and sharpen his cloud skills. When a spot opened up in a Microsoft Azure certification course, Al jumped at the chance to begin his cloud training.

Taking a chance

The training for Azure was complex, but because Al already had a background in Microsoft solutions, he found that he was able to learn the concepts quickly. After he successfully completed the course, the 躂圖AV Cloud Center of Excellence (Cloud CoE) sponsored Al for additional cloud certifications, including Amazon Web Services (AWS). His peers in the Cloud CoE had taken notice of his drive and growing skills, and they began to track his progress and professional development.

Stepping up

When the right opportunity arrived, Al was ready. 躂圖AV landed a contract to provide cloud migration services to the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the nations combat logistics support agency. DLA manages the global supply chain for the U.S. military and facilitates the acquisition of everything from fuel and weapons to equipment and raw materials. When it came time for hiring, the Cloud CoE recommended Al for an internal promotion, and he became 躂圖AV newest junior cloud engineer.

Mentors matter

Al attributes his success to the relationships and mentorships he built along the way. Ive always understood that the best way to learn about a new topic is to talk to the people who are most passionate about it, Al reflected. At 躂圖AV, Ive been able to learn from cloud industry leaders who continue to guide my career development.

All of us have been impressed with Als work ethic and curiosity, said Dr. Imran Bashir, CTO of cloud computing and VP of emerging technologies at 躂圖AV. Als accomplishments and career growth reflect his endless drive to learn and better himself.

Building a career

Today, Al is continuing his upward climb. He now serves as a cloud engineer helping a DoD customer integrate AI models in key research and development projects. He is still driven by the same curiosity he displayed as an intern, and at 躂圖AV he has found the mentorship and resources to satisfy his endless desire to learn.

Kicking Down Doors is a series highlighting the achievements of employees who are on the rise at 躂圖AV. Ready to kick down doors in your career?

Opportunities at 躂圖AV

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]]> Kicking Down Doors: Will Kleman /ecs-insight/ecs-culture/kicking-down-doors-will-kleman/ Wed, 25 Aug 2021 13:31:30 +0000 http://ecstech.flywheelstaging.com/?p=15583 Will Kleman discusses his rise from help desk analyst to cybersecurity expert working on high-level government projects.

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Kicking Down Doors is a series highlighting employees who are on the rise at 躂圖AV.

Our spotlight is on Will Klemen, cybersecurity specialist working with the United States Marine Corps (USMC) to help the organization manage the needs of their reserve forces. Through hard work, intelligence, and drive, Will has risen from help desk analyst to cybersecurity specialist, responsible for operating and defending critical government systems.

WILL KLEMAN

Cybersecurity Specialist

Getting Started

Will Klemen wasn’t always interested in information technology (IT). Growing up, his first love had been fitness, but after working for several years as a trainer and sales director in the field, Will realized he wanted a change. He looked around for an intellectually challenging career with opportunities for long term growth. IT seemed like a good fit. When a position for a tier 1 help desk analyst opened up at a nearby naval base, Will jumped at the opportunity to start his IT career.

The Journey to 躂圖AV

IT came easily to Will. The more he learned, the more the field seemed to expand before him. Opportunities were everywhere, and Will spent the next few years working as a contractor on a variety of IT government projects. The journey led him to 躂圖AV, where he initially began as a help desk analyst for an 躂圖AV subcontractor hired to aid in the management of a Marine Corps training and information system.

As his companys subcontract wound down, 躂圖AV recruiters and project managers (PM) began to reach out to Will. Having heard great things about his intelligence, work ethic, and talent from his PM, they wanted to place him into other opportunities within 躂圖AV portfolio of projects. In a day, Will recalled, he already had two potential opportunities lined up for him at 躂圖AV. Shortly afterwards, he accepted a position as help desk team lead responsible for aiding Navy sailors as they conducted real-time, predictive assessments on impacts to the global information grid.

The Shift to Cybersecurity

As Wills skill and experience grew, so did his responsibilities. He eventually moved on from his team lead position to become a configuration manager at 躂圖AV. While he enjoyed his roles in IT, Will knew he wanted to make a transition into cybersecurity, which he saw as a rapidly expanding field with near-infinite opportunities for growth. At 躂圖AV, Will finally got his chance to make the career shift.

Using 躂圖AV’ generous education benefits to develop technical skillsets in cybersecurity as well as cloud, Will found free reign to explore his interests. Will marveled at 躂圖AV investment in his personal development. Emails filled his inbox, urging him to sign up for upcoming certification classes and bootcamps. When Will conveyed interest in learning new concepts, he often found himself shadowing higher-level employees, sitting in on meetings, and picking the brains of industry experts in IT, cloud, and cybersecurity. Will said, Its nice to be looked at as somebody who could further themselves rather than an asset only meant to fill a specific role. In my last five years with 躂圖AV, I’ve learned more career-wise than in my entire life. At 躂圖AV, Will has gone on to get his Amazon Web Services (AWS) certification, as well as his CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner+ (CASP+), and CompTIA Security+ certifications.

Wills dream of moving to cybersecurity finally came after he received a call from , portfolio manager at 躂圖AV. The company needed someone to help provide cybersecurity support on a new contract with the USMC.

Would you like to be our new cybersecurity specialist? Jason asked.

Wills answer, of course, was yes.

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Will has an unwavering desire for professional achievement and growth. His hard work and intelligence continues to impress me daily and directly contributes to the ongoing success of our work.

Jason Stowers, Senior Portfolio Manager, 躂圖AV

The Future

Will beams with pride at his journey from help desk analyst to cybersecurity specialist. He credits a lot of his success to the leaders he has worked with along the way: from Jason Stowers to Gretchen Gray, cybersecurity analyst at 躂圖AV, as well as Shalini Goel, Mike Scrivener, and Ross Serino on 躂圖AV cloud team. These days, Will serves as the Host Based Security System (HBBS) administrator for the USMC, helping defend the organizations assets as they manage the needs of reserve forces. He is also the administrator for their web application firewall and helps provide any cybersecurity assistance needed by the information security officer (ISO).

Without the support of 躂圖AV and the faith the company has put in me, I wouldn’t be anywhere. I would still be answering the phones. Im grateful for all the opportunities Ive had with this company and all the opportunities to come, said Will.

Kicking Down Doors is a series highlighting the achievements of employees who are on the rise at 躂圖AV. Ready to kick down doors in your career?

Careers at 躂圖AV

The post Kicking Down Doors: Will Kleman appeared first on 躂圖AV.

]]> Kicking Down Doors: Ross Serino /ecs-insight/ecs-culture/kicking-down-doors-ross-serino/ Wed, 16 Jun 2021 13:30:53 +0000 http://ecstech.flywheelstaging.com/?p=14795 As one of the first certified AWS architects, Ross Serino helped shaped the vision of 躂圖AV Cloud Center of Excellence. As vice president of cloud operations, he continues to shape its future.

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Kicking Down Doors is a series highlighting employees who are on the rise at 躂圖AV.

Our spotlight is on Ross Serino, Vice President of Cloud Operations, whose interest in cloud computing and business acumen have led him to find career success at 躂圖AV.

ROSS SERINO

Vice President of Cloud Operations

For , curiosity, hard work, and entrepreneurship have led to a rewarding career in cloud technology. As one of the first certified AWS architects, he helped shaped the vision of 躂圖AV Cloud Center of Excellence. As vice president of cloud operations, he continues to shape its future.

Getting Started

Ross Serino has an entrepreneurial streak. In high school, he mowed lawns and installed A/C units, but quickly realized there was more money to be made cleaning the malware-bloated computers of friends and neighbors. His affinity for computers only grew from there. Even before receiving a computer science degree from Mary Washington College, he started a business creating websites for clients, including advanced SEO analysis tools and countless webpages for small businesses. His favorite was a social networking website for dogs called Doggyspace, a play on Myspace. People often tell me I need to bring that one back, Ross said.

Although he loved programming, Ross never wanted to be a programmer or engineer. While those roles tend to solely focus on the details of a problem, Ross was drawn to the bigger picture of the business side as well. When he eventually charted his career, he looked for a path that could include both.

The Move to Cloud

Ross doesnt miss the days before cloud computing. Early in his career, he worked on the Marine Corp Training Information Management Systems (MCTIMS), upgrading their IT infrastructure. The work was often inefficient, even byzantine; just to access the server, he had to show his security clearance, pass through multiple gates with multiple guards, and badge in and out. On one occasion, he and a Marine reached the server room, only to realize the part they had brought didnt fit. A rail from a previous component blocked the path. Rather than retrace their steps, the Marine pulled out a flat head screwdrivernothing a little brute force couldnt fix. The rail popped right off, and while the installation was successful, Ross knew then the future lay in cloud, where the same upgrades could be done with a few clicks in the comfort of an office.

At 躂圖AV, Ross would become one of the first employees certified as an AWS architect, Amazons cloud expertise training program. Afterwards, he worked alongside the company leaders to help develop and build a cloud team. With the guidance of mentors like Dr. Imran Bashir, 躂圖AV Cloud CTO and VP of Emerging Technologies, that team would eventually grow into 躂圖AV Cloud Center of Excellence.

The Cloud Center of Excellence

In the 11 years hes been with 躂圖AV, Ross has risen through the ranks, from program analyst to principle cloud architect, and then director of cloud transformation, with a few stops in between. He is now the vice president of cloud operations, and along with Imran, he helps lead 躂圖AV Cloud Center of Excellence. The center helps customers build cloud initiatives and manage cloud adoption, while providing training to help employees and clients solve complex cloud challenges.

Ross and I have worked together for many years, and I am constantly impressed by his insights and deep knowledge of the cloud, said Imran Bashir. He has helped shape the Cloud Center of Excellence into what it is today.

Ross has come a long way since the days of mowing lawns and building social networks for dogs, and his foresight, entrepreneurship, and technical expertise continue to carry him forward. As the cloud evolves, he evolves with it. The problems are never boring in his mind. The complexity is only a challenge. Our cloud projects create a lot value and Im proud of that fact, Ross said. I see that across all of 躂圖AV.

Kicking Down Doors is a series highlighting the achievements of employees who are on the rise at 躂圖AV. Ready to kick down doors in your career?

Careers at 躂圖AV

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]]> Kicking Down Doors: Roger McIntosh /ecs-insight/ecs-culture/kicking-down-doors-roger-mcintosh/ Thu, 20 May 2021 15:20:33 +0000 http://ecstech.flywheelstaging.com/?p=14599 Rocky McIntosh has taken all of the skills he learned in the NFL and put them to work on the CDM Dashboard program. We cant wait to see Rocky grow at 躂圖AV.

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Kicking Down Doors is a series highlighting employees who are on the rise at 躂圖AV.

Our spotlight is on Roger Rocky McIntosh, a software development leader whose curiosity, drive, and quest for knowledge took him from a successful career in the National Football League (NFL) to a career in cybersecurity supporting the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation Dashboard program for the DHS.

Finding his Passions

As a child, Rocky was fascinated by all things computer. His modela personal computer popular in the early eighties was a particular point of interest, and he especially enjoyed taking it apart and putting it back together. At that time, computers symbolized a great deal of possibility for Rocky, both for what they would one day enable, and what a developer could program them to do.

For Rocky, the journey from the football field to the corporate world was driven by his desire to grow and his persistent curiosity to learn new things. At the University of Miami, Rocky studied criminology with a career in law enforcement in mind. He also picked up some classes in computer science and English. After an eight year NFL career playing in 124 games for the Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, St. Louis Rams, accumulating over 500 tackles, and being selected as both a NFLPA player representative and the Redskins Walter Payton man of the year, Rocky decided it was time for a career change, and began studying computer science and coding full time.

Changing Course

For Rocky, football meant constant change and adaptability. He started to wonder how he could replicate that ever-changing environment off the field, so he dove into business courses and entrepreneurship programs to help decide his next steps, and eventually achieved his MBA at George Washington University in DC while still playing in the NFL. His drive for the next challenge brought him back to his college interest in computer science, eventually landing him a position on the CDM Dashboard project.

From then on, Rocky kept going back to his fascination with computers, first in college during his computer science classes, and then post-graduate, in coding classes and a data science certificate program at George Washington. Rocky first dove into Java because of its extensibility into many different coding languages. From there, he learned Python and started coding programs and software. It was during a course on ethical hacking that his passion for cybersecurity began. Learning how to exploit vulnerabilities left Rocky eager to make computer systems more secure with his newfound programming knowledge.

After completing many coding programs, Rocky met the 躂圖AV CDM Dashboard Leadership team, including Joanna Dempsey, program manager for the CDM Dashboard project, at a recruiting event. Joanna brought Rocky onto the 躂圖AV team, where he impressed them with his ability to plug and play wherever he was needed just like when he was playing college and professional football.

Rocky was an unconventional candidate for the job of Developer for sure, but we were all really impressed with his commitment to seek opportunities to learn and grow in this new space. We were a little concerned that he might get bored with a coding job, but we figured if he was willing to give us a chance, that wed do the same. Since then, Rocky has been one of the most consistent and committed members of our dev team, and he continues to demonstrate his love for learning.

JOANNA DEMPSEY

CDM Dashboard Program Manager

Unifying Principles

Its no surprise Rocky found his passion in cybersecurity. Athletes are known above all for their teamwork. Working in an Agile environment is more like a football field than one might think. Each teammate has their piece of the program to work on, which requires air-tight communication to achieve accountability and success.

The sense of confidence and teamwork that he learned as an athlete throughout his career is vital to Rocky. Working within the ever-changing programming landscape requires him to lean on his team when needed and step up when its his turn to help another teammate out. He compares the CDM team to his former football organizations, in which you not only get better from the skills you have, but by learning from those with different skillsets than your own.

Whats Next?

Im so thankful for my team leadershipJoanna Dempsey, Mike Zakrzewski , and James Byroadsfor believing in my ability to embark on this new career. Hiring someone from a completely different background may have been a gamble, but it inspires me to strive for my best and continue learning and growing this field.

Rocky looks forward to continuing his career at 躂圖AV. He appreciates his team leadership and their ability to support the expansion of his knowledge in cybersecurity. Rocky’s ultimate goal is to become a CISSP, enabling him to provide added value and insight to advance the CDM mission of improving our nations cybersecurity posture. We cant wait to see Rocky continue his success with 躂圖AV.

Kicking Down Doors is a series highlighting the achievements of employees who are on the rise at 躂圖AV. Ready to kick down doors in your career?

Careers at 躂圖AV

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]]> Kicking Down Doors: Rebecca Cuffages Path to Program Management /ecs-insight/ecs-culture/kicking-down-doors-rebecca-cuffages-path-to-program-management/ Wed, 29 Apr 2020 08:00:08 +0000 http://ecstech.flywheelstaging.com/?p=11919 Determination, hard work, and flexibility have empowered Rebecca Cuffage to succeed on her professional journey at 躂圖AV.

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Kicking Down Doors is a series highlighting employees who are on the rise at 躂圖AV.

Our spotlight is on Rebecca Cuffage, a deputy program manager whose determination, hard work, and flexibility have chartered a path to success at 躂圖AV.

For , the journey to program management took patience and grit. The owner of a construction business, she took on a side-job at a local medical practice, ultimately becoming the system administrator. Despite this experience, the transition to information technology wasnt easyit was eight years before she found an entry-level position as a service-desk analyst. That role provided the springboard Rebecca needed to leap into IT.

Learning the Ropes

Although Rebecca started as a service-desk analyst, it was her next roleconfiguration managerthat catalyzed her interest in program management. With her program manager stretched between multiple engagements, Rebecca began taking on greater responsibility and communicating more regularly with the customer. When that PM moved on to a new project, he suggested Rebecca as his replacement. Before long, she was simultaneously managing three programs for 躂圖AV.

From day one, I was impressed with Rebeccas work ethic, willingness to jump at any opportunity, and extraordinary organizational ability, said , a portfolio manager and business development lead at 躂圖AV, and one of Rebeccas earliest mentors at the company.

Creating Value

Rebecca draws on her diverse backgroundservice desk, management, IT administration, and moreto create value for the customer at every opportunity. Throughout her tenure at 躂圖AV, she has pursued this goal in myriad ways.

While supporting one of our federal customers, I asked Rebecca to look at some accounting challenges in order to improve responsiveness to both our customer and subcontractors. Within a few days, she had created a tool that allowed us to forecast and plan future engagement trigger points that enabled us to anticipate funding and invoicing milestones far in advance, recalled . Since then, Rebecca has supported several PMs to streamline and optimize financial planning. Her hard work and brilliance have saved countless hours and enabled our team to better serve and advise our customers.

Speaking the Language

For Rebecca, the importance of clear communication is paramount. Being a good manager means speaking the same language as your team, thinking through the same problems, and solving the same challenges, she said.

Although she is not an engineer, Rebecca nonetheless stays as close as possible to the technical side of her engagements. Every program she has overseenfrom spectrum management to has demanded robust technical understanding to achieve mission success. As a result, Rebecca pursues all the relevant training that will enable success in her role as project manager. She has continued her education and received multiple certifications from the EC-Council, CompTIA CASP and Security+ ce, and is a Certified SAFe 5 Agilist.

As Rebecca sees it, every mission depends on the work environment she creates for her teama philosophy she carries with her on the $39 million contract she currently manages. The success of my team is my success, said Rebecca. Thats the former business owner in me.

Moving Forward

I do what I love, and I work with great people, Rebecca said about her career as a program manager. Im willing to step into any role within the company and work hard to do it well. Looking towards the future, she hopes to continue on her current path, managing teams and supporting her colleagues at 躂圖AV. She hopes to ultimately become a division manager, which would empower her to apply her skills beyond the scope of an individual project.

Kicking Down Doors is a series highlighting the achievements of employees who are on the rise at 躂圖AV. Ready to kick down doors in your career?

Careers at 躂圖AV

The post Kicking Down Doors: Rebecca Cuffages Path to Program Management appeared first on 躂圖AV.

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